Pitless well adapters



Sept. E6, 1969 H. w. MAASS PITLESS WELL ADAPTERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 15, 1967 INVENTOR HERBERT W. MAASS fiwfflw AT TORN EVS p 16, 1969 H. w. MAAss 3,467,181

PIILESS WELL ADAPTERS Filed Nov. 15, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HERBERT W- MAASS a YW/W YWM ATTORNEYS United States Patent M 3,467,181 PITLESS WELL ADAPTERS Herbert W. Maass, 10940 W. Congress St., Milwaukee, Wis. 53225 Filed Nov. 15, 1967, Ser. No. 683,338 Int. Cl. E21b 33/03 U.S. Cl. 166-85 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In the present pitless well adapter a unitary combination T-coupling and slip joint wedge block, from which a flow pipe depends into the lower portion of the well casing, is normally vertically, slidably removably held by wedges within an offset housing, with the complementary slip joint face being in tight engagement with the slip joint face of the pipe connector. By pulling upwardly on the combination T-coupling and slip joint wedge casting, through a temporary drop pipe applied to said casting, the latter may be shifted upwardly and then inwardly to separate the slip joint components so that the casting with the depended flow pipe and pump appurtenances may be lifted out of the open upper end of the well casing for inspection and repairs.

Background of the invention Field of the invention:-Well installations of the socalled pitless type including a submergible pump and/ or other appurtenances must, according to various State codes, provide that the well casing be effectively sealed against the entrance of foreign matter and drainage, the construction, however, being such as to permit the removal and inspection of the submergible pump and/or its appurtenances from time to time, the latter being carried by the flow pipe in the lower portion of the well casing. The construction of the present invention is such that any necessity of digging around the casing or removing any of the sections thereof is completely eliminated, but there is, nevertheless, provided a well casing below the frost line in the ground with a laterally projecting sealed box or housing forming part of the well casing and communicating with the interior thereof and from which extends horizontally outwardly, to the point of usage, a water supply pipe which, through a unitary casting which forms both a T-coupling and a slip joint component, provides communication with the water flow pipe to draw water from the well to the place of usage when the pump is in operation.

Description of the prior art.Prior art patents of which applicant is aware generally concerned with the same problem but different from the instant invention in regard to advantages and structural features include the patent to H. W. Maass et al. No. 2,841,223, the Maass Patent No. 3,081,829, the Williams Patent No. 2,529,062, the Ortman Patent No. 2,707,030, and the Haydin Patent No. 2,931,379. In some of these patents an elbow carried by the offset housing or box is required but not any disclose a pitless well adapter wherein there i a unitary casting which forms both a T-coupling and one complementary element of a slip joint which is normally held in fluidtight condition by means of wedges within the offset housing but permits separation of the slip joint elements by an upward pull on the unitary casting to bring it into such position within the well casing that it may be moved vertically out of the upper end thereof.

Summary of the invention The improved pitless well adapter is so constructed that the combination T-coupling and slip joint casting can be easily shifted upwardly free of its wedge engagement, with means being provided so that during such shifting movements the complementary slip joint face of the casting is held away from the inner face of the housing to prevent any damage to or wear on the complementary sealing faces of the pipe connector and the slip joint, including the O-ring in the latter.

The improved pitless well adapter is furthermore so constructed that installation and welding thereof is greatly simplified and facilitated and interior ledges or the like, which might collect water, foreign matter or set up rust within the casing, are eliminated.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a pitless well adapter of the class described a combination T-joint and slip joint component casting wherein the latter is formed with means to aid the guiding of the casting into and out of its position within certain wedge ribs in the offset housing or box.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pitless well adapter wherein a complicated slip joint with mating male and female elements is eliminated and which also eliminates the need for an elbow joint.

Still further objects of the invention are to provide a pitless well adapter which is of a very simple construction and is easy to install and manipulate for service requirements, which meets all sanitary and code requirements, which is efficient in operation, which is relatively inexpensive, and which is well adapted for the purposes described.

Brief description of the drawings In the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference characters designate the same or similar parts in all of the views:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view through the upper portion of a well installation of the pitles and submergible pump type embodying the improved adapter;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view looking at the interior of the box or housing, with the unitary member which forms the fluid flow coupling and the pressure joint component removed and showing wedges within the box and the inner face of the pipe connector which forms a component of the presure joint, part of a wedge and the adjacent portion of the box being broken away to show welding recesses;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately along the line 33 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the unitary member which forms the fluid flow coupling and the companion pressure joint component.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and to FIG. 1 thereof, it will appear that the well casing, of circular form in cross section, is indicated by the numeral 8 and protrudes above the ground level a required distance. The upper end of the casing 8 has applied thereto a flanged sealing cap 9 which may be secured in closing relation by a set screw 10. The sealing cap 9 is formed with a hollow downturned nose 11 extending adjacent a flanged side of the sealing cap and into which is secured the upper end portion of a pipe 12 which carries the electrical cable 13 for the well pum mechanism. There may be used with the well a conventional pump and motor of a well known type, which have not been illustrated.

There is provided a box or housing 14 of generally rectangular form with slightly inclined upper and lower end walls 15 and 16. The well casing 8, below the frost level, is provided with a rectangular opening 17 in a portion of its wall to which the rectangular box 14 is applied in the manner shown in the drawing to close the rec tangular opening in the well casing wall and to project outwardly laterally therefrom. The extremities of the end walls 15 and 16 of the box 14 are formed as lips 18 and 19, recessed at their opposite ends relative to the walls 15 and 16 so as to fit within the upper and lower margins of the rectangular casing wall opening 17 and, as arranged, they eliminate any interior ledges or the like which might permit the undesirable collection of water, foreign matter, or rust formation within the casing. The box is secured to the casing section in waterproof relation to the opening 17 therein by means of welding, as indicated at 20. Formed integral with the interior lower side wall portions of the box or housing 14 are a pair of laterally spaced apart wedge ribs 21 which incline downwardly and outwardly at about eight degrees relative to the vertical axis of the well casing 8. The location of said ribs 21 is such that after the box is installed on the casing section said ribs do not project into the casing so as to form obstructions therein. Inner marginal portions of the side walls of the box 14 are recessed as at 22, intermediate the upper and lower ends of the box, and said recesses provide access for a Welding operation which permits the welding material 23 to burn through so that a weld is accomplished not only between said portions of the box and casing section, but also between the wedge ribs 21 and the well casing and box.

The numeral 24 (see FIG. 1) designates the stem portion of a stainless, non-magnetic steel piper connector which extends through and tightly closes a circular opening 25 therefor in a lower portion of the outer vertical front wall or face of the box 14, said portion 24 of the pipe connector being welded in place as shown. The inner end of the pipe connector is formed as an enlarged circular flange or plate 26 which lodges tightly against an inner surface portion of the front wall of the box 14 surrounding the circular opening 25 therein. The exposed fiat face of the plate portion 26 of the pipe connector provides one of the complementary elements of a slip pressure joint. The stem portion 24 of the pipe connector extends outwardly of the outer face of the box 14 a slight distance and is internally threaded to receive the threaded portion 27 of a horizontally-directed water supply pipe 28 which extends away from the well casing to wherever the pumped Water is to be utilized. The pipe connector, extending from the inside of the box 14 to the exterior, with its face or plate 26 being in contact with the O-ring 35, eliminates any electrolytic action because of its onepiece construction and the material thereof which is nonmagnetic steel.

In FIG. 4 of the drawing there is illustrated a unitary combination T-coupling and pressure slip joint wedge block designated generally by the numeral 29. This unitary member 29 is a bronze casting and in its preferred form it is shown as being for a single pipe arrangement, although it can be double. As shown, the head end of the T-coupling has a depending, vertical internally-threaded portion 30 adapted to have threaded thereinto the upper end portion of a flow pipe 31 (see FIG. 1) which extends downwardly into the lower portion of the well casing to have water forced upwardly therein when the well pump is in operation. The main chamber 32 within the T-coupling portion of the casting 29 has its axis at right angles to the axis of the flow pipe 31 and is continued through a laterally-extending pressure joint wedge block portion 33, which is an integral part of the unitary casting 29. The outer flat face portion of the pressure joint wedge block 33 surrounding the outer end of the cavity 32 is formed as a complementary pressure joint surface 34 to wedge tightly against the adjacent face of the plate portion 26 of the pipe connector. Fluid-tight sealing is enhanced by an annular gasket or O-ring 35 within a recess in the face 34. It will be observed from FIGS. 1 and 4 that the inner face 36 of the wedge block portion 33 is downwardly outwardly tapered at an angle of about 8 degrees to conform to the inclination of the wedge ribs 21 which engage said face 36 when the unitary casting 29 is in its operative position shown in FIG. 1. When the unitary casting 29 is so positioned within the well casing and the pump is in operation, the flow of water will be as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 1, the water passing from the upper end of the flow pipe 31 through the cavity 32 in the unitary bronze casting 29 and through the registering openings in the pipe connector 24 and wedge block portion 33, into the water supply pipe 28. This entire passageway is devoid of obstructions.

The upper end portion of the unitary bronze casting 29 is provided with an internally-threaded socket 37 into which the lower end portion of a drop pipe 38 (see FIG. 1) may be temporarily threaded when the installation is made, or when parts are to be removed from the well casing for repairs and inspection, as will hereinafter appear. It should be noted, however, that the socket portion 37 is not in communication with the flow pipe 31 or the cavity 32 in the bronze casting 29, but is formed with a drain opening or port 42.

In installing the improved adapter, after the well casing 8 is sunk into the ground in the usual manner, with the box 14 welded within the opening 17 formed in the well section, either before or after sinking the well casing, and with the pipe connector 24-26 secured within the opening 25 in the box 14, the supply pipe 28 is connected to the pipe connector portion 24 and is directed horizontally therefrom to the desired point of use. The well casing is then ready to receive the pump, motor or other appurtenances. The unitary bronze casting 29, removed from the well casing, has threaded into its depending portion the upper end of the flow pipe 31 and the bronze casting 29, carrying the flow pipe 31 and the pump and its motor and other appurtenances, is lowered into the well casing 8 through the upper end thereof when the flanged sealing cap 9 is removed. This is accomplished by temporarily applying to the socket portion 37 of the casting 29 a drop pipe 38. During the lowering operation, when the bronze casting 29 reaches the open side of the upper portion of the box 14, the casting 29 is turned and shifted so that the integral Wedge block portion 33 thereof will enter the box 14 and it will be lowered therein until the tapered inner face 36 of the wedge block portion engages inwardly of the wedge ribs 21 which are mounted fast on opposite sides of the lower interior portion of the box 14. The inclination of the wedge ribs 21 acting on the correspondingly inclined face 33 of the wedge block portion will, when the casting 29 reaches its ultimate position, cause the complementary pressure joint face 34 to impinge tightly against the complementary pressure joint face 26 of the pipe connector, with the outer end portion of the casting cavity 32 in direct registration with the entrance into the supply pipe 28. The sealing effect accomplished through the complementary wedging members creates, with the O-ring 35, a water tight connection and the weight of all of the depended parts is borne by said wedging elements and creates no strain on any of the fittings.

With the pitless well adapter installed as described and when the pump and well are operative, the temporary drop pipe 38 is removed and the sealing cap 9 is in place as in FIG. 1. When it is desired to remove the appurtenances associated with the lower end portion of the flow pipe 31 for inspection, repair or replacement, the well cap 9 is removed to permit the drop pipe 38 to be inserted as shown in broken lines in FIG. 1 and engaged with the socket portion 37 of the casting 29. By an upward pull on the drop pipe 38 the casting 29 will be raised so that the wedging surface 36 of the casting part 33 will move upwardly free of the wedge ribs 21 and cause a sliding disengagement of the pressure joint elements which include the face 34 of the wedge block 33 and the face of the circular flange 26 of the pipe connector. At this point it should be mentioned that, as is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, within the box 14 and between the side walls thereof and the rear wall, above the wedge ribs 21, the meeting portions of said walls are rounded on a radius of about /2", as indicated by the numerals 39, which is important in that, during the installation or removal movements of the unitary casting 29, said wall radii will hold the pressure joint face of the portion 33 away from the inner surface of the adjacent wall of the box 14 to thereby prevent any damage to the sealing face of the portion 33 and and its O-ring 35. -It should also be observed that the lower inner corner portions of the wedge block 33 of the unitary casting 29 are beveled, as at 40, which arrangement is advantageous in respect to facilitating the guiding of the block portion 33 of the casting 29 into and out of position with respect to the wedge ribs 21. From the drawing it will also be observed that the unitary casting 29 is formed with an inclined upwardly projecting web 41 between the socket portion 37 and the wedge block 33. This web prevent-s the casting from striking or hooking on any portions of the assemblage during its movement into and out of its operative position. The removal from the well casing of the adapter casting 29 and parts depended therefrom can be accomplished for servicing purposes without any digging around the well casing H or removal of parts of the latter.

Besides providing pocketless inclined surfaces to eliminate the collection of condensation and foreign material, the present adapter and associated box or housing 14 are of a construction which greatly simplifies installation problems. The improved pitless Well adapter is of simple and novel construction, results in a tight pressure joint connection between the discharge end of the unitary casting 29 and the pipe connector 24 and its associated supply pipe 28, and it completely eliminates complicated fittings, including an elbow joint and slip joint components of the male and female type.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and hereina-bove described, numerous variations or modifications therein may occur to those skilled in the art, and it is intended to include herein not only the illustrated form of said invention :but also any and all variations and modifications thereof as may come within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. In a well casing having an underground hollow section with an opening in its wall, the improvements which comprise: a laterally extending housing welded to said section and in registration with said opening and including an outer wall, top and bottom walls, and a pair of side walls; a pipe connector extending through said outer wall into said housing from the exterior thereof, said pipe connector having a flanged inner face portion within the housing forming a first slip joint component, and said pipe connector being formed of a nonmagnetic material adapted to eliminate electrolytic action; a bronzeone-piece combination T-type fluid flow coupling and pressure slip joint member removably mounted Within said housing, said combination member having a depending vertical hollow leg portion, having a main chamber communicating with said downwardlyextending leg, and said combination member having a laterally-extending hollow arm portion communicating with said main chamber; a downwardly-tapered wedge block formed on the outer end of said laterallyextending arm, said wedge block having a vertical outer sealing face and a downwardly and outwardly inclined inner face, and said block having an opening therethrough in registration with said hollow lateral arm, the outer, vertical face of said wedge block forming a slip joint portion positionable in fluid-tight engagement against the adjacent flanged inner face of said pipe connector with the wedge block opening in registration with said pipe connector; a non-metallic O-ring mounted in the outer face of said wedge block in surrounding relation to the opening therethrough and positioned to bear against the inner face of said pipe connector; a wedge rib on the inner surface of each of the side walls of said housing, said ribs being inclined downwardly and outwardly at substantially the same angle as the inclined inner face of the wedge block and being so located that said wedge block can be removably wed gin gly installed between said ribs and the inner, flanged face of said pipe connector with the wedge block outer face in fluid-tight engagement with said pipe connector; an upwardly-projecting socket formed on said combination member adapted to removably receive the lower end of a drop pipe to permit the installation or removal of said member, said combination member being shiftable longitudinally and laterally relative to the housing for installation or removal; a flow pipe connected to the downwardly-extending leg portion of said combination member and extending downwardly into the well; and a supply pipe connected to the outer end portion of said pipe connector.

2. The structure recited in claim 1 and having an inwardly and upwardly inclined web formed on said combination member between the wedge block and said socket positioned and shaped to prevent the hooking of said combination member on the housing or casing during its installation or removal.

3. The structure recited in claim 1 and wherein: said housing top and bottom walls are inclined at an angle adapted to prevent the accumulation of rust and dirt thereon, wherein said housing side walls are provided with inner vertical edges which are beveled at an angle facilitating the welding of said housing to the casing, and wherein the vertical inner corner portions of said housing are formed on the arc of a curve of predetermined radius adapted to prevent the outer, sealing face of said bronze wedge block from striking the housing outer wall during the installation or removal of said combination member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,689,611 9/1954 Martinson 16685 2,918,972 12/1959 Tubbs 16688 2,946,385 7/1960 Dicken 16685 X 2,960,166 11/1960 Haydin et a1. 16685 3,050,124 8/1962 Ottenbacher 16685 3,306,358 2/1967 Williams 16689 DAVID H. BROWN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 16688 

